The City of Palms Classic, ‘Iolani Classic, and Tarkanian Classic have each made a significant mark on this week’s Top 25 high school basketball rankings.
Columbus (Miami, Fla.) solidified its position at the top by capturing the City of Palms Classic. The Explorers overwhelmed Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) with a dominating 90-37 performance in their opening match. They asserted their dominance against previous No. 4 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) with an 85-48 win in the quarterfinals, before edging out National Top 10 No. 1 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) in a thrilling semifinal showdown, finishing 77-71.
In a nail-biting finals match, Columbus narrowly defeated reigning champion and National Top 10 No. 3 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 59-57. Cameron Boozer, a Duke signee, was awarded MVP honors, while twin brother and fellow Duke commit Cayden Boozer, along with juniors Caleb Gaskins and Jaxon Richardson, were named to the all-tournament team.
Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) enhanced its credentials and climbed to No. 4 in this week’s rankings after winning the Tarkanian Classic. The Mustangs cruised past St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 79-36 in their first match, defeated No. 23 Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 73-66 in the quarterfinals, ended the previously unblemished run of Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) with a 78-74 win in the semifinals, and triumphed over No. 13 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 76-58 in the championship game.
Brayden Burries, a five-star senior, was named MVP of the tournament, while senior guards Myles Walker and New Mexico signee Issac Williamson also received all-tournament recognition.
This week also saw Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) make significant strides, leaping up seven spots to No. 14 after completing a 3-1 run at the ‘Iolani Classic. Meanwhile, St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) made its entry into the national rankings after claiming the King of the Bluegrass title.
With the holiday season approaching, several major tournaments continue beyond Christmas, including the Beach Ball Classic, Classic at Damien, Classic at Tennessee, John Wall Holiday Invitational, Jordan Holiday Classic, Les Schwab Invitational, and the Championship Basketball Tournament prior to ringing in the New Year.
Top 25 high school basketball rankings
1. Columbus (Miami, Fla.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 1
The Explorers are set to return to the court for three consecutive games at the Jordan Holiday Classic, with matchups against Bullis (Potomac, Md.) on Friday, Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) on Saturday, and Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) on Sunday.
2. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 6-1 | Last week: 2
Opened their Washington Catholic Athletic Conference campaign with a dominant 95-52 win over Good Counsel (Olney, Md.). The Eagles will meet Lakeridge (Lake Oswego, Ore.) in the first round of the Les Schwab Invitational on Friday.
3. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 3
The Braves secured a 72-48 victory against Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), highlighted by junior wing Max Ellis’ 25 points. They are scheduled to face Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) in the Classic at Damien first round on Thursday.
4. Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 6
With a strong outing at the Tarkanian Classic, the Mustangs moved up two spots. They look to enhance their resume further at the Classic at Damien, where they face San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.) in the opening round on Thursday.
5. Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 5
Secured their second victory over an out-of-state rival this season against Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah), winning 78-58 at the Capital City Tip Off Classic, with Missouri-Kansas City commit DeAndre Harrison netting 23 points and five-star senior Koa Peat contributing 22 points. Perry will enjoy a break before their matchup against No. 19 Harvard-Westlake at Hoophall West.
6. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 4
Despite a setback against No. 1 Columbus (85-48) in the City of Palms Classic, the Rams still exhibited strength by going 3-1, with wins over Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 96-55, Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 85-68, and Owasso (Okla.) 61-50. Five-star junior Caleb Holt was recognized for his all-tournament play, averaging 16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
7. Hoover (Ala.)
Record: 15-0 | Last week: 8
Secured commendable victories over out-of-state teams, including a 57-29 win against Greenforest (Decatur, Ga.) and a 73-51 triumph over Bartlett (Tenn.) at the Jasper Classic. Three-star UAB signee Salim London led the scoring with 23 points against Bartlett.
8. John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 9
Conquered previously unbeaten Hopewell (Va.) 77-57, driven by a game-high 22 points from three-star Richmond commit Aiden Argabright, and followed with a 67-41 win against Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.). The Justices are set for a first-round matchup with Clayton (N.C.) in the John Wall Holiday Invitational on Thursday.
9. St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: 12
Claimed the City of Palms Classic Sunshine Series title after defeating Edgewater (Orlando, Fla.) 69-43 in the semifinals, followed by a championship win against Gibbs (St. Petersburg, Fla.) 82-71. Five-star Baylor signee Tounde Yessoufou shined, averaging 27 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals throughout the event.
10. Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 7-3 | Last week: 7
Despite two defeats against National Top 10 rivals during the City of Palms Classic semifinals, the Pioneers still achieved significant wins, taking down Owasso 73-50 and Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) in a commanding 103-61 victory, ensuring a place in the top 10.
11. Christ School (Arden, N.C.)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 13
The Greenies are headed to the John Wall Holiday Invitational to contest againstLayton Christian Academy (Layton, Utah) secured a 73-60 victory in the semifinals. The standout performances from three-star Rutgers commit Angelino Mark, the top-ranked junior Tyran Stokes, and junior wing Zachary White resulted in all three receiving all-tournament honors.
12. Brennan (San Antonio, TX)
Record: 13-2 | Last week: 16
Achieved their first 100-point game of the season with a dominant 108-46 win over Marshall (San Antonio, Texas), led by five-star Houston signee Kingston Flemings, who recorded 36 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Up next, the Bears face Chisholm Trail (Fort Worth, Texas) in the opening round of the Championship Basketball Tournament on Thursday.
13. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 15
Secured a spot in the Tarkanian Classic championship game after defeating Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) 80-63 in the first round, Timpview (Provo, Utah) 77-63 in the quarterfinals, and Layton Christian Academy (Layton, Utah) 73-60 in the semifinals. Three-star Rutgers signee Angelino Mark, top junior Tyran Stokes, and junior wing Zachary White were all recognized with all-tournament honors.
14. Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)
Record: 10-3 | Last week: 21
A strong performance at the ‘Iolani Classic propelled the Wildcats to notable victories, including a thrilling 71-68 double-overtime win against former No. 11 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) and a 65-58 triumph over Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.).
15. Allen (Texas)
Record: 14-1 | Last week: 17
The Eagles dominated a strong Prosper team, which entered the matchup with just two losses, winning by 29 points thanks to a team-leading 18 points, five rebounds, and four steals from senior wing Antonio Shannon. They will face Andress (El Paso, Texas) in the first round of the In-N-Out Invitational on Thursday.
16. Huntsville (Ala.)
Record: 15-0 | Last week: 18
The Panthers secured a 59-42 win over Ramsay, with Tennessee-Chattanooga commit Josh Bowman leading the charge with 22 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Huntsville will play Austin (Decatur, Ala.) in the first round of the Huntsville City Classic on Thursday.
17. Fishers (Ind.)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 20
The Tigers are enjoying an impressive average margin of victory of 26.7 points per game. With 20 consecutive wins dating back to last season, Fishers is making a strong case to defend their title as Class 4A state champions.
18. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 22
The Wolverines achieved a solid win over JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) with a score of 65-50, bolstered by five-star Duke signee Nikolas Khamenia’s outstanding performance of 26 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. The team is preparing for the Desert Holiday Classic this week.
19. Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 19
Following a quality win against Sagemont (Weston, Fla.), the Eagles have secured three convincing victories in a row. Calvary Christian Academy is set to participate in The Classic at Tennessee High School, where they will face the victor of the matchup between Virginia (Bristol, Va.) and Webb (Bell Buckle, Tenn.) on Friday.
20. St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: NR
The Tigers clinched the King of the Bluegrass title, with junior wing Jeremiah Jackson earning MVP honors, while junior guard Chief Cameron and senior guard Chance Dillingham also received all-tournament recognition.
21. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)
Record: 9-1 | Last week: NR
The Panthers are gearing up to face St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) on Saturday and Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.) on Sunday at the Jordan Holiday Classic.
22. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: NR
The team kicked off their season with a robust performance last week, achieving victories over Ramapo (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) 64-45—propelled by 30 points from senior wing Declan Wucherpfennig—and previous No. 25 Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.), thanks to 23 points and 15 rebounds from Wucherpfennig.
23. Kenwood (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: NR
The Mustangs have bested state adversaries DePaul College Prep (Chicago), Warren Township (Gurnee), and Simeon (Chicago). Kenwood will take on Thornton (Harvey) on Thursday in the inaugural round of the Big Dipper Christmas Tournament.
24. Reidsville (N.C.)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 24
Reidsville will face Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) during the first round of the John Wall Holiday Invitational Day’Ron Sharpe bracket on Thursday.
25. Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)
Record: 4-2 | Last week: NR
Helped strengthen its national profile significantly over the weekend at Hoopfest in Paradise, where they triumphed over Sagemont (Weston, Fla.) 89-64, with junior wing Jasiah Jervis contributing 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists, followed by a victory against National Top 10 No. 6 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 63-54, where Jervis shined with 24 points and six rebounds.
NEXT FIVE:
- Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.)
- Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.)
- Blake (Tampa, Fla.)
- Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.)
- DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
